In a twist on the Lion King’s “Circle of Life,” a group of researchers identified a population of genetically distinct lions—in a zoo. The finding came after an Addis Ababa zoo asked researchers in its sister city of Leipzig to help prove that their lions not only looked unusual, but were genetically unique. The finding would help the struggling zoo to obtain funding to continue breeding the lions and to improve their living conditions.

The Addis Ababa zoo lions have dark manes and small bodies, unlike other African lions. But life in captivity can sometimes influence appearance. A team of researchers, led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany and the University of York in the UK, checked to see if the lions really are different by comparing DNA samples of 15 lions from the zoo to six populations of wild lions.

Their genetic analysis revealed that the gene sequence of all fifteen lions were unique and showed little sign of inbreeding. The study was recently published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research.

The zoo’s lions belonged to Ethiopia’s deceased emperor, Haile Selassie, who established the zoo in 1948. But their origins are unknown. One theory is that the seven founder lions—five males and two females—came from southwestern Ethiopia. Wild lions that look like this may no longer live there because their strikingly dark mane proved too alluring to hunters.

“Since the wild source population is unknown, we cannot be sure whether it still exists,” says lead author Susann Bruche. “Lions with similar appearance have been largely diminished mainly due to hunting for their mane.”

Bruche says that according to the Ethiopian authorities, lions that resemble the zoo lions still exist in the east and northeast of the country, in the Babille Elephant Sanctuary and in a wildlife rescue facility in Ensessakotteh.

This isn’t the first lion population to survive only in zoos. Two significant lion populations, the North African Barbary lions and the South African Cape lions, have already become extinct in the wild. As Ethiopia’s population of lions declines, “Every effort should be made to maintain this population to keep the genetic heritage alive,” says Bruche.

Construction work is currently underway in the Addis Ababa zoo to create a facility modeled on the lions’ natural environment. The zoo will continue to breed the lions to keep the population alive.

Comments

parsa

December 5, 2013, 8:28 am

who is the stronger lion or tiger

jo671

USA

December 4, 2013, 11:21 pm

Still curious how once belonged to Haile Selassie and left this way?
::The zoo’s lions belonged to Ethiopia’s deceased emperor, Haile Selassie, who established the zoo in 1948. But their origins are unknown.

yonatan kemal

Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

August 5, 2013, 11:13 pm

people we should wake up this is a sign of barbary lion existance in Ethiopia, I can assure you that there are thousands of barbary lions in southwestern highlands of Ethiopia in the gibe river valley, chebera churchura national park, kaffa zone, gambella, wollega,hadeya and mago and omo national parks please do some sampling and you will get the result. Eye witnesss

Gildardo Villarruel

Santa Clarita, Ca

February 6, 2013, 11:36 pm

Truly a landmark for the Great Big Cat… THE MORE SUB-SPECIES.. The greater the chance for their re-introduction into a Africa Free of relentless hunting for priceless, probably even the greatest evolutionary big cat trait…the beautiful Mane. Great article/ News. Thank You… Keep us updated

Debbie J

Houston

February 1, 2013, 8:04 pm

They look like the Barbary lions. Black manes. Are they? I hope someone takes the challenge and helps a movement to protect them from going extinct!!!!

Here’s hoping that the research for the Barbary lion population (recommended ^ by Alison Carter of Belfast) happens.

I LOVE YOU NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC!

Rob

December 29, 2012, 11:40 pm

I was fortunate to make a trip to Ethiopia five years ago and went to this zoo in Addis Ababa.
The lions were the central feature then. The zoo was in a tough position trying to keep it going.
Great story by National Geo. Hope the best for the lions and the zoo along with the great people of the country.

I think we have it the opposite of what it is here. We take the wild animal’s land and life. We move in on them and push them back from their migration territories, kill them for ‘sport’, and then complain about their violence…or that they must be relocated because ‘we’ want to live where their natural habitant is.

Our lands and animals where here way before we were. If we let that sink in we will have the respect and love towards animals and land that they deserve to live in. What is wrong with us that we don’t see who the real ‘King’ is?

hasan

iran

December 19, 2012, 1:33 am

I have a question regarding the scientific studies reviewed is stronger lion or tiger, and I’m grateful to answer my questions can email me

sarah seeley

eastport,ME

December 16, 2012, 8:53 am

I hope that the lions will be able to survive. They are really beautiful! I would think that if lion hunters were to read this page they would stop hunting them!!!!!

Tim Upham

Tum Tum, Washington USA

December 11, 2012, 10:51 pm

Are they still planning to reintroduce Barbary lions back into the wild? I heard they are planning to reintroduce them back into Morocco. That would be great! Morocco is suppose to be getting some addax, when they do they will be second North African nation to get them after Tunisia. Unfortunately, striped hyenas have just been declared extinct in Morocco.

Dominique

NY USA

December 11, 2012, 6:44 pm

Another example of how a Zoological park may be able to save species and/or diversity with in an animal group. This is actually exciting to me from a preservation perspective.

Animal lover

December 10, 2012, 3:24 pm

I wish that I could help all of the animals that have been mistreated.

saonli banerjee

howrah,westbengal,india.

December 10, 2012, 5:41 am

its really a good news to be seen.. they should be taken care and this new species should be saved…

Sydney

NY

December 9, 2012, 6:00 pm

All of you who complain about them being in a zoo, just shut up. Seriously. That zoo is probably the only thing keeping them alive. Be thankful, at least for once.

Jonathan McMahon

United States

December 8, 2012, 11:53 am

Alison, I think you may be on to something. They do look remarkably like Barbary Lions. I agree it would be interesting to learn whether the similarity is more than just superficial.

Sav

December 8, 2012, 7:06 am

That lion does not only look poor…it is poor 🙁 I have been to Ethiopia and went to this zoo. The living condition of these lions is terrible. They barely have space to move around, locked up in very small cages 🙁

eisha

michigan

December 7, 2012, 3:07 pm

that lion look poor why have it locked up…:(

Wolfshadow567

USA

December 7, 2012, 1:49 pm

I compared this photo to a picture of a regular lion and i saw many differences in the body structure and size.

Alexandra Li

Beijing

December 7, 2012, 1:00 am

I really like lions and all animals, but it breaks my heart to see how many endangered animals are still being hunted for medicine, furs, or even just for fun! It’s so hard to protect animals if there are so many people that like killing animals!
It’s so mean.

mohit singh

hardoi(u.p.)

December 5, 2012, 5:44 am

i like

Christian Rene Friborg

Germany

December 4, 2012, 7:19 pm

It’s good to know that these people are exerting a lot of effort to preserve these zoo lions so that they may live longer.

Anne Holt

Cairo

December 3, 2012, 8:15 am

I am currently reading the biography of Wilfred Thesiger, an Englishman who explored much of the Sudan, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia in the 1940s. Though it is a very interesting read, it just is heartbreaking the number of animals he hunted for sport –many, many lions —and probably the same type described….Thesiger and his parents were friends of Haile Selassie.

hema

egypt

December 3, 2012, 7:58 am

Hallelujah

Nabil Saba

lebanon

December 3, 2012, 3:23 am

i like lion

Melaku Tefera

Ethiopia

December 2, 2012, 2:51 am

Is n’t this plagarism. Who discoverd the lions. It is shame
Tefera, M. 2003. Phenotypic and Reproductive characteristics of lions (Panthera leo) at the Addis Ababa zoo. Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. 12:1629-1639.

Sonia

Florida

December 1, 2012, 10:08 pm

The lion is the best animal in the worldwide. I love cats .

boydb

wpg

December 1, 2012, 12:48 pm

Rastafari lives. King of kings Lord of Lords conquering Lion of the Tribe of Juda

Alexa

December 1, 2012, 10:18 am

Thats really cool!!

Luke

December 1, 2012, 8:10 am

It’s time to free zoo animals 🙁
if people want to view animals, they should to on a safari instead gaping at animals behind jail…

ikooo ch

December 1, 2012, 2:41 am

Great ! Steps should b taken to keep this population alive

sudheer

hyderabad,INDIA

December 1, 2012, 1:06 am

new species of lions should be saved
keep the geneticheritage alive

Betsy van der Merwe

South Africa

November 30, 2012, 11:27 pm

We have definitely on occasion, seen lions with bigger, dark manes in the Kruger National Park who appear different in size too. They stand out completely. They might not be exactly the same as these lions but perhaps the gene comes from the Ethiopan lions?

Joanne Wells

USA

November 30, 2012, 11:13 pm

What is disheartening about this photo is that you can see the Intelligence and presence in his eyes, but he is imprisosoned behind bars.

hakeem

maldives

November 30, 2012, 11:02 pm

hmmmm good

arvin

November 30, 2012, 10:25 pm

But in which way its distinct..!!!

sheri hathaway

pittsburgh, pa

November 30, 2012, 10:23 pm

Could this genetic strain be an evolutionary change that has occured in a short timeframe in a micro climate, such as in th Galapagos?

Debra Zygadlo Reis

United States

November 30, 2012, 10:10 pm

Please do what ever it takes to save these lions!!

victor masawi

Zimbabwe Africa

November 30, 2012, 9:19 pm

Long Live!, The Lions of Juda!Madzimbahwee!

meforever122

eygpt

November 30, 2012, 8:54 pm

wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful

meforever122

eygpt

November 30, 2012, 8:54 pm

wonderful

Alison Carter

Belfast

November 30, 2012, 8:44 pm

There are only a few Barbary lions left in the world in zoos, and they are extinct in the wild. They were the original middle eastern lions that the Romans used in the Colosseum. This is a perfect description of their subspecies: dark mane, smaller body. It would definitely be good to genetically check this population vs the few Barbary lions left in zoos, and there are several of them here in Belfast zoo. This could actually save them from full extinction if a few more individuals have been found.

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